Upper, Lower Burrell police get questioned by preschool students

Staffers at Bethel Nursery School in Lower Burrell didn’t want their students to have the wrong idea about police officers.

So they asked if some could come for a visit.

On Wednesday, 60 students, ages 4 and 5, had the opportunity to ask Lower Burrell and Upper Burrell police officers about their jobs.

They also learned about summer safety and were able to see a police car, school Director Janene Krajci said.

“They answered a lot of their questions. They were super patient with them. They did a fantastic job,” Krajci said.

Krajci said one of the school employees, Julie Marhefka, reached out to police officers she knows to arrange the visit. Marhefka is the wife of Lower Burrell in-school police Officer John Marhefka.

Krajci said a lot of students were afraid of police officers and thought they would come and get them if they did something bad. The school wanted to help change their perspective.

“They really just had the wrong idea of what the police officers are there for,” Krajci said. “So, what we decided to do was contact them and see if they would come and just meet with the students and kind of hang out and get them to realize they’re good people and they’re just like everybody else.”

Krajci said she is grateful the officers took the time to see the students, whose concerns have been alleviated.

“I think that getting the relationship with police officers at a young age is going to help them to realize that they’re there to help in the future, not be afraid to reach out to them,” she said.